Corn-planter.



PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.-

G. A. ANDERSON.

. CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1906.

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INVENTOR.

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'0. A. ANDERSON.

CORN PLANTBR.

APPLICATION rILnn A33. 9. 1906.

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ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

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CARL A. ANDERSON, OF ORION, ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed April 9,1906. Serial No.'310,'749.

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Be it known that I, CARL A. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orion, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful OornPlanter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn planters, and it has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of machines.

\Vith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,

which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the inventionmay be made, when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a corn planter embodying the inven tion. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the front or runner frame and the mechanism connected therewith. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through one of the seed boxes or hoppers. Fig. l is a transverse sectional detail view taken on the plane indicated by the line Jrf in Fig. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view illustrating the cut-off, the ejector, and related parts. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of one of the seed boxes or hoppers. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view illustrating a portion of the annular top member of the hopper, together with a portion of the lid and the lid securing device. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail view illustrating the cut-off and the ejector, together with a portion of the supporting plate, the parts being separated in order to show the construction more clearly. Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of a specimen of the seed plate or disk. Fig. 10 is a detail view of a portion of the operating mechanism showing the same in the position which it occupies when the machine is used as a check rower. Fig. 11 is a detail view of a portion of the operating mechanism in the position which it occupies when the machine is used as a drill. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the seed tube and valve. Fig. 13 is a rear view of the same, and Fig. 14 is a detail front view of the check head.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The improved corn planter of the present invention comprises in its construction a rear or wheel frame IV and a front or runner frame R; said wheel frame including side members 1, 1 with which the runner frame is hingedly connected, as at 2, 2. Means of any suitable and well known construction are employed for the purpose of adjusting the frames and to secure them in adjusted position with relation to each other, but these means do not form a part of the present invention and need not be specifically described.

The runner frame includes the front and rear cross bars 3, 4 with which the runners 5, 5 are suitably connected.

The seed boxes or hoppers II, II are hingedly connected with the front cross bar 3 by means of pins or bolts 6 engaging lugs 7 upon said front cross bar. 'l hese seed boxes or hoppers, and the mechanism connected therewith, are of similar construction, and a description of one will suffice for both; it being understood that a planter may be constructed of any desired capacity, and with any desired number of hoppers and related mechanism. Each hopper, then, includes a bottom plate or base plate 8 which is prefcrably dished in its upper surface and which is provided with lugs 9 for the passage of the hinge bolt 6. 'i he bottom plate 8 is provided with an annular exterior shoulder or offset 10 affording a seat for the lower end of the casing 11, which is preferably made of sheet metal and of cylindrical shape.

12 is a top ring having an annular groove 13 affording a seat for the upper edge of the casing 11; said top ring is formed with a boss 14 through which extends a belt or connecting member 15 which also extends through an apperture 16 in the bottom plate 8. The boss 14 has a rib 17 engaging a corresponding groove in the under side of a washer 18 which engages the bolt 15, the latter being also provided with a nut 19 whereby the several parts are assembled and retained. A lid 20 is mounted pivotally upon the boss 14, and the latter also carries a pivoted member or turnbutton 21 adapted to engage a camshaped rib 22 which is formed upon the upper semi-cylindrical housing 23 through the end pintle 31 carrying a disk supporting plate P;

surface of the lid 20, concentric with the boss 14. The lid and the turn-button 21 are obviously not placed upon the boss before assembling the parts; and it is to be understood that when the turn-button 21 is not in direct engagement with the cam rib 22, the lid will be free to swing pivotally around the boss 14.

It will be seen that under the construction which has been just described, a single bolt or connecting member serves to assemble and retain the bottom plate 8, the casing 11, the top ring 12, the lid 20, and the turn-button 21, together with the Washer 17, whichlatter is locked against rotation by the rib 18. The nut 19 may be tightened securely upon the connecting bolt, so as to assemble the parts very securely, without binding the lid; and the latter, when closed, may be firmly secured by manipulating the turn-button 21 so as to engage and bear down upon the cam rib 22.

The base plate 8, which is preferably composed of a single casting, is provided diametrically opposite to the hinge lugs 9 with a walls of which extends a pin or bolt 24 upon which is pivoted a latch member 25 having an actuating spring 26 and a loop or finger piece 27 whereby it may be conveniently manipulated; said latch member being adapted to engage a lug or catch 28. This device serves to retain the seed box or hopper in position for operation, and at the same time enables it to be released and tilted forwardly for the purpose of affording access to the contained mechanism, or in order to enable the contents of the hopper to be discharged into a bag or receptacle, when desired Secured detachably upon the under side of the bottom plate 8, as by means of a bolt 29, is a hinge lug 3O affording a bearing for a a turn-button 33 having a thumb piece 34 serves to secure the plate P in closed relation to the bottom plate 8. The disk supporting plate includes an annulus 35 having a downwardly ofi'set, diametrical cross bar 32, which latter is provided with a pintle 36 upon which a bevel pinion 37 is supported for rotation said pinion being provided up on its upper surface with lugs 38 adapted to engage recesses 39 in the seed plate or disk 40, which latter l will thus be comiected with the bevel pinion j 37 for rotation. The seed plate or seed disk consists of an annulus of suitable dimensions I provided with a plurality of apertures constituting seed cups 41, which latter may be of any desired dimensions; it is the intention l to provide with each planter a plurality of seed plates having seed cups of difierent dimensions, said seed plates being readily interchangeable; at the same time it is to be understood that the interchangeable seed disks must each be provided with a similar number of equi-distantly disposed seed cups or apertures, in order that charges of seed may be deposited at regular intervals.

In operation, the seed disk will be supported upon the annulus 35 of the plate P, said annulus serving to constitute the bottom of the seed cups. Said annulus is provided with a notch or recess 42, of a diameter slightly exceeding the diameter of the seed cups, to enable the charges of seed to pass from the latter to the discharge chute.

The bottom plate 8 is provided with an arcuate slot or aperture 43, see Fig. 1, which is concentric with the axis of the bevel pinion 37 carrying the seed disk, and which registers with the apertures 41 in said disk, so that a plurality of said apertures or seed cups will constantly be exposed for the reception of seed through said slot 43. The bottom plate is partially covered by means of a housing 44 connected detachably with the bottom plate 8, as by means of a bolt 45 and said housing contains a spring actuated cut-off member 46 and a spring actuated. ejector 47. The cutoff 46 is provided with trunnions 48, bearings for which are formed in the proximate faces of the base plate 8 and of the housing the hearings in the plate 8 consisting of recesses, seen at 49 in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The cut-off member 46 is provided with a slot 50 in which the ejector 47 is pivotally supported by means of trunnions 5]. engaging recesses or bearings 52 in the upper side of the cut-off member, adjacent to the slot 50. The cutofi member 46 has a terminal. foot 53 hearing lightly against the upper face of the seed disk, and said cut-off member is also provided with a lug 54 adapted to abut upon the wall of the housing 44 to limit the downward movement of the cut-off member. The ejector 47 is provided with upwardly extending pins 55 and 56, the former of which is adapted to engage a transversely disposed rib or web 57 formed within the housing for the purpose of limiting the movement of the ejector; the latter is provided with a beveled nose piece or lug 58 ada ted to project into one of the seed cups 41 o disk 40 for the purpose of ejecting the charge of seed from the latter. The pin 56 of the ejector is engaged by a coiled spring 59 accommodated in a cavity 60 of the housing, and serving to actuate the ejector and the cut-off member in a downward direction.

It will be seen from the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of the ejector and the cut-off member, that both of said members are actuated by a single spring, while, at the same time, each of said members is operable against the tension of said spring without practically disturbing the position of the other member. Thus, when the seed disk is rotated, the wall of the seed cup engaged by the ejector will press against the beveled nose piece of said ejector,

causing the latter to be retracted against the tension of the spring 59 by turning upon its pivots or trunnions 51 without disturbing the position of the cut-oil member; the latter, on the other hand, will serve to brush the superfluous seed from the seed. cup entering boneath the foot 53, and it will at the same time yield in an upward direction sulficiently to admit of the passage of seeds of irregular sizes and shapes; when the cut-off member thus yields in an upward direction, it will force the shank portion of the ejector slightly in an upward direction, but not sulficiently to displace the nose piece 58 of said ejector from engagement with the seed cup, which, at the time, is engaged by said nose piece; the latter constituting a fulcrum upon which the ejector may rock when the cut-off member moves u'nvardly against the tension of the spring. The nose piece of the ejector, by engaging one of the seed cups, operates in a measure as a lock to prevent further rotation of the seed disk, which latter will thus be temporarily retainedin the proper position. The nose piece of the ejector is obviously in register with the seed chute 61. which is connected with the runner shank 62.

A shaft 63, supported for rotation in suitable bearings in the runner frame, carries a pinion 64: meshing with the bevel pinion 37. The runner frame also has bearings for a rock shaft 65 provided in the usual manner with bifurcated levers, as 66, adapted to be actuated by the steps or tappets 67 upon the check wire 68. The rock shaft 65 also has an arm 69 connected with. a retractingspring 70.

Secured upon the rock shaft 65. as by means of a clamping sleeve 71, is an arm 72 with which is pivotally connected a pawl 73 adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 74 upon the shaft 63. The pawl 73 has a slot 75 provided with a cross-b ar 76 the arm 7 2 is provided with a bracket 77 projecting beneath the pawl in the direction of the ratchet wheel 74. When the rock shaft is oscillated to move the pawl carrying arm 72 in the direction of the ratchet wheel, the pawl will engage the latter and serve to rotate it to the extent of one tooth, but rotation beyond this limit will be positively prevented by the bracket member 77 which will abut upon another tooth of the ratchet wheel, thus forming an effective stop for the latter; when the rock shaft is retracted by the action of the spring 7 0, and the pawl moves away from the ratchet wheel, the bracket member will engage the cross bar 76 and serve to prevent the pawl from dropping to such an extent as to slip past more than a single tooth of the ratchet wheel. This is an extremely import-ant feature of the construction, for the reason that the parts of the mechanism are so proportioned that the rotation of the shaft 63 to the extent of one tooth upon the ratchet wheel 74 will operate through the intermediate mechanism to rotate the seed disk to the extent of one cup, thus causing o no charge of seed to be carried beneath the ejector and cxpe led by the latter. It is obvious that if the seed disk should be moved more than a single space, more than one char e of seed would be expelled, and the planting would be irregular.

The planter is provided in the usual man ner with check heads C having guide pullovs, as 78, 79 and 80, for the check wire (38; said guide pulleys are disposed upon. horizontal axes, but there is an additional guide pulley S1 of conical shape and provided with a supporting flange 82 which is mounted upon a vertical axis upon a bracket 83 which is pivotally supported upon the check head, by means of a pin or bolt 84; the bracket is supported in normal operative position by means of a latch lever 85 pivoted upon the check head where it engages a stop member 86 which serves to normally maintain said latch lever in position to sustain the bracket member 83 is a horizontal position with the pulley 81. in an approximately vertical position; said vertical pulley serving to engage the check wire adjacent to one of the horizontal pulleys, and to prevent accidental displacement of said check wire from. engagement with the guide pulleys. To doll' the wire from the guide pulleys, it is only necessary to i'nanipulato the latch lever 85, when the pulley carrying arm 83 will gravitate to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 13 of the drawings, when the check wirc may escape laterally from engagement with the guide pulleys. It is preferred that thebifurcated wire engaging lever on be provided with a hinge joint 87 in order to permit the free end of said lever to swing to the wire dotting position, as indicated in dotted lines in l ig. 14 of the drawings.

.lhe wheel frame of the machine is provided with a suitable bearing, as 88, for a rock shaft Silhaving an arm or crank 00 upon which is journaled a spur wheel or ratchet wheel 91 adapted to intermesh with the ratchet wheel 74 and to communicate 1'o tary motion through the latter to the shaft 63. The ratchet wheel 91 is suitably connected with a sprocket wheel 92 which is connected by a chain or link belt 93 with a cone s 'nocket 94- upon the axle 95 of the ma chine which has the carrying wheels 96, thus enabling motion to be transmitted from said axle direct .to the shaft ($3 at a speed which may be regulated by shifting the link belt 93-3 from one to the other of the divisions of the cone sprocket M; such change being readily effected by adding onc or more links to, or removing one or more links from, the chain or link belt 93, as maybe required When motion is thus transmitted direct to the shaft (53, it is obvious that charges of seed may be dropped or discharged at short intervals, as is desired when the seed is to be drilled, the intervals between dropping being regulable by the cone sprocket 94, as described.

The rock shaft 89 is provided at the end remote from the crank 90 with another short arm or crank 97 that extends in the path of the rear cross bar 4 of the runner frame, so that when the latter is tilted, the cross bar 4 will'engage the arm 97 and oooillate the rocks shaft 89 sufficiently to lift the ratchet wheel 91 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 74 thus, when the runner frame is tilted, for the purpose of turning the machine at the end of a row, or for the purpose of transporting the machine from one place to another, the seed dropping mechanism will be thrown out of operation. It is obvious that. when the ratchet wheel 91 is in engagement with the ratchet wheel 74, the pawl 73 must be out of engagement, and said pawl will preferably be thrown forward upon the cross bar 3 of the runner frame where it will be temporarily supported; the rock shaft being ob viously out of commission when the machine is operated as a drill; on the other hand, when the pawl 73 is in engagement with the ratchet wheel 74, the ratchet wheel 91 may be maintained in a non-engaging position by tilting or oscillating the rock shaft 89 in the proper direction, and securing it as by means of a plug or stop member 98, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The runner shank 99 is provided with a recess 102 in which a tubular valve member 100 is mounted for oscillation, as upon a transverse pin or supporting member 101; near the lower end of the recess 102 is formed an offset or shelf 103 adapted to constitute a closure for the lower end of the tubular valve member 100. The latter is provided wilih a forwardly ex nding arm 104 having a slot 105 that is engaged by a crank pin 106 upon an arm 107 that extends radially from the rock shaft 65, so that, when the latter is oscillated, oscillatory motion will be communicated to the tubular valve member. The latter is provided with a wing or deflector 108, nivotally mounted upon a transverse pin or supporting member 109, and constituting the upper portion of the back wall of said tubular valve member; the upper end of the wing or deflector 108 is formed into an arouate flange 110 concentric with the pivot 109 with which the upper extremity of the body of the tubular valve member is likewise concentric; said tubular valve member being adapted for registration with the discharge end of the seed chute 61 through which seed is conveyed from the dropping or discharging mechanism above. The wing or deflector 108 may be secured in various positions by means of a slide or latch member 111 carried thereby and adapted for engagement in looking position with a lug 112 upon the inner face of one of the side walls of the tubular member 100; said slide being provided with a thumb piece or handle 113 whereby it may be conveniently manipulated; it will be seen that by proper adjustment of the deflector 108, the upper end of the tubular valve member may be contracted, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or expanded, as will be best seen in Fig. 12; the deflector being adjusted according to the work that is to be performed by the machine. Thus, when the machine is to be used for check rowing, the deflector 108 will be adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the contracted upper end of the tubular valve member will register with the exit end of the chute 61 when the upper end of the valve member is in the rearward positian shown in full lines in said figure; at the same time, the lower end of the tubular valve member will be in registry with the shelf or closure 103. At the same time, the rock shaft 65 will be. in retracted position under the impulse of the spring 70, and the bifurcated lever 66 will be in a forward position ready to be engaged by a tappet of the check wire. As the machine advances, the rock shaft is oscillated the tubular valve member is tilted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the arcuate flange 110 will obstruct the exit of the chute 61; a charge of seed previously supported upon the shelf 103 will be brushed off into the furrow, and a charge of seed delivered by the dropping mechanism into the seed chute will pass through the latter and become temporarily supported upon the flange 110. When the bifurcated lever 66 becomes disengaged or released from the engaging tackle, the rock shaft 65 is oscillated under the impulse of the retracting spring 70, and, by the restoration of the tubular valve member to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the charge of seed will be brushed off the flange 110 and suffered to drop through the tubular valve member onto the supporting shelf 103.

The foregoing statement of the operation of the invention applies when the machine is used as a check rower. When the machine is to be used as a drill, the deflecting mem ber 108 is shifted to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 12 of the drawings, thus expanding the upper end of the tubular valve member and permitting the latter to register with the seed chute 61 when the upper end of the tubular valve member is in a forward position. As previously stated, the rock shaft 65 is now out of commission, and under the impulse of the retracting spring 70, the parts will be retained in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 12. The lower end of the tubular valve member will now be out of registry with the shelf 103, so that seed coming from the dro ping mechanism through the seed chute wi 1 pass direct to the ground.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto anneXed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. One of the principal advantages of the invention resides in the facility with which the machine may be converted from a check rower to a drill, and vice versa; the change being e'fl'ected simply by proper adjustment of the rock shaft 89 having the arm carrying the ratchet 91, and by proper adjustment of the deflector 108 of the tubular valve member 100. The construction of the component parts of this machine is simple and inexpensive, and

the parts may be conveniently assembled for effective use. The working parts of the machine are well protected from inclement weather, and said working parts are con veniently accessible for examination, for substitution of parts, such as seed disks, and for repairs, when needed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A seed plate supported for rotation and having an annular series of apertures, a cutoff member having trunnions pivotally and detachably supported adjacent to the seed plate and having a slot, an ejector pivotally engaging the cut-o'fl' member said ejector having a bevelled engaging member projecting through the slot of the cut-oil member, an actuating spring engaging the ejector and operating to force the engaging ends of the latter and of the cut-o'fl member in the direction of the seed plate, and means for limiting the movement of the ejector independently of the cut-off.

2. A seed plate supported for rotation and having apertures forming seed cups, a base plate adjacent thereto and having an arcuate slot in registry with the seed cups, a housing supported upon the base plate and having a spring receiving cavity and a transverse rib, a cut-ofl' member pivoted between the base plate and the housing and having a slot, an ejector having trunnions pivot-ally and detachably engaging the cut-o'fl member and having a bevelled engaging portion engaging the seed cu s through the slot in the cut-ofl member sai ejector being provided with upward extending lugs one of which is adapted to engage the transverse rib of the housing to arrest the movement of the ejector in one direction, and a spring seated in the cavity of the housing and engaging the other lug of the ejector; said spring operating to force the engaging ends of the ejector and the cut-ofl' member in the direction of the seed plate.

3. In a planter, a shaft supported for rotation and having a ratchet wheel, a rock shalt supported upon the planter frame and having an arm carrying a ratchet wheel adapted for operative engagement with the ratchet wheel upon the shal't, means for transmitting motion l'rom a source of power to the ratchet wheel upon the arm of the rock shaft, an arm extending from. said rock shalt in the path ol the runner frame of the planter, and means independent of the runner frame for engaging said arm to support the rock shaft in adjusted position.

4. In a planter, seed dropping mechanism, a seed chute, a recessed runner shank having a seed supporting shell", and a tubular valve; member pivotally supported in the recess oil the shank and having a pivoted and adjustable deflector whereby the upper end of said tubular valve member may be expanded and contracted.

5. In a planter, seed dropping mechanism, a seed chute, a recessed runner shank having a seed supporting shell", a tubular valve member pivoted in the recess of the shank, and a deflector pivotally connected with the tubular valve member and having an arcuate flange adapted to obstruct the seed chute.

(3. In a planter, a seed chute, a recessed runner shank having a seed supporting shell, a tubular valve member supported [or oscillation in the recess of the shank a deflecting member pivotally connected thereto and provided with a seed chute obstructing arcuate flange, means for locking said member in adjusted position a slotted arm extending from the tubular valve member, a rock-shaft, and a crank extending from the latter and having a pin engaging the slotted arm of the tubular valve member.

7. A seed box including a base plate pro vided with a housing, a pin supported in opsite walls of the housing, a catch immovably disposed below the base plate, a latch member pivotally mounted upon the pin and adapted to engage said catch, a spring for automatically moving said latch into engagement with the catch, and a loop integral with the latch. and constituting a thumb piece.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

CARL A. ANDERSON.

I/Vitnesses:

J. A. Axnnnson, Swan LAWSON. 

